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It may not give you complete peace of mind, but one lucky Chicago Parent reader will win the Graco Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center (valued at $169.99) this week. To win, tell us what you do/did to get your kids to stop crying. Post your answer here, then e-mail your answer, name and your Chicago Parent ID to e-dition at chicagoparent dot com. You must post and e-mail us for your answer to be counted. We will not release your information-it is purely for contact purposes. Some answers may appear in Chicago Parent magazine. Winners will be chosen at random and may have no affiliation with Wednesday Journal Inc. or its employees.

Check out our review of the Sweetpeace on our Parents Know Best blog here.

This contest is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated.

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Kate Pancero
Assistant Editor/Weekend E-dition Editor
FabMama columnist
Chicago Parent

When our eldest was an infant during the winter, and would cry incessantly, we used to wrap her up like she was going outside, put her in the stroller, and then open a window a crack and just rock her back and forth in front of the window.  She thought she was on a walk outside, and would almost always fall asleep right away!

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~Shayna

When my daughter would cry (which did not happen often) when she just starting to toddle, I would fly her around like the "wonder baby" she was or now that she is a fullfledged toddler, I turn her upside down in my arms like the monkey she still is. This way she gets a new perspective on the situatiuon and she starts giggling incessantly.  

Honestly, My first was very spoiled which usually happens when it's your first child.  She used to wake up every two hours to cry not to feed no wet diaper either.  I tried everything to make her stop.  From rocking her to sleep, walking back and forth with her, the swing, putting her to sleep with me, nothing worked.  Impossible she must of have been 1 year old by the time I figured it out.  I just simply ignored her and she stopped crying.  Since, then I don't sleep well. She is now 11 and is still very needy. 

I did all kinds of different things with my three children but my firstborn was the tough nut  :-)  I did everything from walking up and down the stairs singing "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" to leaving him in his bouncy seat with the vacuum running for 1 1/2 hours!  (He had fallen asleep while I was cleaning and I didn't want to wake him up so I just left him there with everything going.)  Once he found he could entwine his thumb and forefinger and stuff the whole thing in his mouth with his "mimi" (blanket) to soothe him, he was a happy camper!

Both of my kids loved the swing.  They both went in there until they were that 20 lbs weight limit.  Sometimes that swing was the only thing that work to get them to fall asleep or stop crying.

When my infant son was colicky, I would wrap him tightly like a burrito in a blanket.  I would then carry him tummy side down on my forearm and rock and/or bounce him gently while singing to him.  He may have just wanted me to stop singing, but it seemed to soothe him enough to stop crying. 

The only thing that would make my son stop crying is the song "Angels" by Jessica Simpson. We tried everything - swaddling him, rocking him, putting him in the swing. But the only thing that can calm him down is that song!! We have it in the CD player on repeat. Whenever it comes on, he stops crying, calms down and just listens. It's the craziest thing - but it works!!!!

We also did the marching up and and down the stairs trick until my quads burned and every ounce of post-baby fat disappeared (then, as miraculously, returned once I stopped nursing!) Nursing helped as well as swaddling. Also, taking turns with the baby so the adult who tended to the infant was a little more relaxed. Frazzled mamas are not really well equipted to soothe frazzled babies!

Shayna, what a great idea!  Why didn't I think of that (making her think we were actually going somewhere)!    :-)     The good thing is that I also love being out, so we would actually take my daughter on a drive.

Whenever she got cranky or was crying/fussy in the evenings, we would get ready, put her in the car seat, and take her for a drive, usually on Lake Shore Drive.  She was usually asleep within 10 - 15 minutes.  It was actually soothing for all of us and a nice end to the evening.

 

Well, this is actually something that my mom does with babies she takes care of, but I think it's a great idea. She wraps them up in a blanket and puts them in the crib then she turned on the radio to oldies music (104.3 back then). Instead of keeping them up like i thought, they would relax and stop crying. So now we know a lot of the oldies music!

I believe that the best way to control a baby it is knowing, giving them love instead of hatred, giving them happiness instead of sadness, we must be like babies to know what happens, inside them the oneway of communicating with us is weeping that even they cannot speak, we must be babies and live as them free and without any worry

 

 

M. M.

Aiden, my son was a GREAT baby! He was nursed so I think that helped a lot. I guess I was luck because he was very easy to calm down but now...... Wow he's 2 and when he's crying I just try to hold him and let him know I'm here. Baby number 2 is due 10/14 and with a toddler and a newborn I have no ideal what I'll do to stop the crying. I will be reading all the posting!

Congratulations to ChicagoCupcake. You are the winner of the Graco Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center. Thanks to everyone who participated.

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Kate Pancero
Assistant Editor/Weekend E-dition Editor
FabMama columnist
Chicago Parent